


Bygone Amity

by CityEscape4



Series: Zexal Month 2020 [2]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal
Genre: M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Lives, Post-Canon, Pre Don Thousand, Time Travel, Zexal Month
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-17
Updated: 2020-09-29
Packaged: 2021-03-05 18:53:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,545
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25560133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CityEscape4/pseuds/CityEscape4
Summary: After finding out Vector's been plagued by nightmares, Yuma takes it upon himself to take the matters of resolving them into his own hands, in what Astral deems the most extreme way possible.
Relationships: Tsukumo Yuuma/Vector
Series: Zexal Month 2020 [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1849372
Comments: 7
Kudos: 28





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For Zexal Month 2020! This is for Day 17, detailing the events of a character's past life! This is definitely going to be multi-chapter though. I just don't know how long it's going to be.

Yuma opens his eyes, and just listens.

It’s dark, the only available light being the slightest shine of moonlight seeping through the attic’s window. He blinked, and heard it again: soft crying.

Sitting up from his spot, Yuma turned his head to the room’s only other occupant, Vector. He’d come over for a sleepover, a common occurrence after he and the other Barians had been revived as humans with the Numeron Code. He was laying on the floor, his back to Yuma, but was decently wrapped in two different blankets, and Yuma momentarily hoped that the blankets were enough to comfort him from the stiffness of the hardwood floor. His thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of crying again, and he swung his legs over the side of the hammock, his feet touching down on the floor as he carefully hopped off.

Noticing the outline of Vector’s body trembling, he was quick to kneel, quick to place a hand on Vector’s shoulder and speak his name. “Vector?”

He got no response, so gently he pulled at Vector, the dim moonlight being just enough to reveal Vector’s scrunched face, stained with tears from closed eyes. He’s sleeping, Yuma realized, he’s crying in his sleep.

“Vector.” Yuma stifled back a yawn, he’d been sleeping before being woken up by what he now knew was Vector’s crying. “Vector?” He gently shook the other young teen's shoulder, wanting to pull him from his sleep. “Vector…!”

Vector’s eyes snapped open, purple irises wide with emotions: fear, upset, despair. The ginger shot up into a sitting position, breathing heavily, gripping his blanket tight, his knuckles white. There's sweat beaded along his head, and worry coursed through Yuma. Vector's dazed, panicked, and clearly troubled; so much so that Yuma squeezed Vector's shoulder, trying to anchor him back down to earth from his apparent nightmare.

"Vector, _Vector."_ Yuma did what he could to call Vector back to Earth, and within a few moments, the ginger's breathing slowed, his gaze creeping up to meet Yuma's. 

"... Leave me alone." Vector's voice was slightly hoarse, and there was still a hint of a dazed look in his eyes. He was quick to shrug his shoulder out of Yuma's grasp, and turn to settle back down on the ground, nestling back into his blanket and pillow.

Frowning, Yuma shifted into a sitting position, not leaving Vector's side, even though the ex-Barian's back was to him. "Are you ok?"

His only reply was a muffled, "Go back to sleep, Yuma."

A sigh left Yuma at that, and he shook his head slightly, not moving from his spot as he allowed a quiet to settle between them. After a while, Vector had assumed Yuma went back to his hammock, and turned to look over his shoulder, only to see Yuma gazing at him concernedly. With a _'tch!'_ and a click of his tongue, Vector turned away sharply, a tint of red dusted across his cheeks and coloring the corners of his ears. "I said to go back to sleep."

"I have nightmares too, ya know."

Vector blinked at that, his body stiffening in place as Yuma spoke. No, no, no, he did _not_ want to have this conversation.

"Sometimes," Yuma continued, sitting with his legs criss-cross as he spoke, his hands settling in his lap, "I relive all the stuff that happened during the Numbers War." Yuma's gaze fell from Vector's back to the wood paneling floor of the attic. "Sometimes it's Astral dying, sometimes its Alit and Gilag dying, or Shark." There was a brief silence before he spoke again. "Sometimes it's you."

Vector's hands gripped at the blanket tight, shaking his head somewhat. He knew what Yuma was doing - trying to relate to him so he can get inside his head, figure out what was bugging him. Well it wasn't going to work. "I don't care."

Again, there was a silence between them, until Vector heard the sound of Yuma getting up and walking away. He breathed a sigh of relief, until he heard the sound of something coming back towards him, and felt a presence by his side. Blinking, Vector turned again, only to be met with the sight of Yuma settling down next to him, complete with pillow and blanket. "What are you--?"

"It's ok if you don't want to talk about it." Yuma said as he finished settling down next to Vector, laying his head on the pillow as he faced Vector. "But you're not alone, Vector. I'll be right here."

Vector just stared at Yuma in disbelief, his mouth slightly agape as Yuma simply smiled at him, nothing but care and loving concern in his eyes. 

And it annoyed him.

Again he turned away, shaking his head. turning his back to Yuma. "Whatever." He closed his eyes, wishing he wasn't there, that he was back in his bedroom at the Kamishiro manor instead. At least there the other ex-Barians tended to ignore him, and leave him to his own devices as opposed to getting all up in his business like Yuma constantly did the second he sensed something wasn't right.

He could feel Yuma's gaze on him, could feel the pressure of his body next to him despite there being 3 blankets separating them. He couldn't fight the heat that rushed to his face, that fully colored his face and ears. After several minutes, he couldn't help but cave.

"... It was my mother."

Yuma's eyes widened slightly at Vector's words, and he sat up a bit, looking over the ginger. He was opening up about his nightmare?

"I've been having them on and off for a while now." Vector's voice was soft, Yuma not saying anything to interrupt him as he talked about his nightmares. "They're mainly of her."

Vector didn't have to go into explicit detail as to what exactly he meant. Yuma had seen what had happened with Vector and his mother when Don Thousand had shown everyone Vector's memories during Vector and Shark's duel. He was having nightmares about her death...

"Mainly?" Yuma asked gently, reaching a hand out with the intent to place on Vector's shoulder, only to reconsider, and pull his hand away. "What else have you dreamt of?"

Vector was silent then, only to sigh and speak again. "Just... death."

Yuma didn't push the topics of his nightmares further further.

"How long is 'a while'?"

Vector shifted then, laying on his back then, as opposed to on his side facing away from Yuma, though his gaze stayed focused on the ceiling. "Since being brought back."

Oh. So this had been off and on for a few months? Yuma frowned and sat up fully, his hands resting in his lap. "...Is there anything I can do to help?"

"Can you stop my mother from dying right before my eyes?" Vector snapped, a small frown on his expression.

Yuma rolled his eyes, shaking his head at Vector's words. Of course he couldn't do that, no person on Earth could do that. Though at that thought, Yuma's eyes widened, and a small smile came to his face. Maybe no one on _Earth_ could manage it, but with some help from _Astral World..._

Vector's gaze darted to Yuma after getting no verbal response from him, and his frown only grew. "What's with that smile?"

Pulled out of his thoughts, Yuma blinked and looked to Vector, shaking his head. "Sorry, just... thinking."

"Hmph. That's never good for anyone." Vector quipped, before turning his head and looking back to the ceiling.

"Hey!"

Vector finally smiled, and shook his head before closing his eyes. "Go to sleep, Yuma."

Yuma looked over Vector one last time, before exhaling and laying down as well, a small smile on his face as well.

* * *

"You want to _what?"_

Yuma sighed, not knowing how else to explain his idea to Astral. It had been a day since Vector had spent the night, and Yuma had gotten into contact with Astral via the Emperor's Key that he still held onto, calling him through that, like a catalyst that connected Astral between the worlds. They were in the Tsukumo household's attic, Astral looking disbelievingly at Yuma. 

"I just want to help Vector, Astral. I just--"

"Want to use the Numeron Code to do so." Astral folded his arms as he floated in place, frowning somewhat. 

"Come on, Astral," Yuma insisted, waving his hands low, "Vector's been having nightmares about his mother dying and I know how the Numeron Code can fix it!"

"And how's that?" Astral asked, moving to hover above Yuma's hammock in a sitting position. "Erasing his memories of his mother dying?"

Yuma blinked, then shook his head, raising a hand to wipe at his face. "No, that would make me just as bad as Don Thousand, wouldn't it?" Walking closer to the hammock, Yuma put his hands on his hips. "I think if I go back and stop him from watching his mother die, it should stop these nightmares."

"... You want to use the Numeron Code to send you _back in time_ to stop Vector from watching his mother die?"

Yuma snapped his fingers and smiled. "Exactly!"

Astral's expression was unamused. "Yuma, I cannot help but feel this is... rather extreme."

"But what else can I do?" Yuma asked, shaking his head as he spoke. "There's no psychiatrist on the planet who can help with all the trauma that Vector's gone through! The least I can do is take matters into my own hands and see if I can prevent it from happening in the first place."

Astral blinked. "Psychiatrist?"

"It's someone who, like, helps with your mental state." Yuma tried to explain, using a finger to point at the side of his head briefly. "But who's going to believe that he's on his third life, and was once a rock alien?"

Shaking his head, Astral exhaled. "Yuma..."

"Astral, please." Yuma was pleading with Astral as this point, wanting to try and get through to him. "I don't care if I have to do it alone, but I need to do this. For him. _Please._

There was a look of thought on Astral's face, but after a moment, he extended his hand, and a light emerged in the attic. Yuma's eyes widened as the floating card form of the Numeron Code appeared before him and Astral, and as it began to very slowly rotate in Astral's hand, Yuma couldn't help but suddenly feel uneasy.

"You'll bring me back, if anything goes wrong?" Yuma asked, looking to Astral for some sort of affirmation. 

Astral nodded, "So long as you're in contact with the Emperor's Key, I can bring you back when you're ready. Time won't pass here, but you'll be able to take as long as you need." He received a nod from Yuma in return, who exhaled slowly. 

"Alright." Yuma grasped the Emperor's Key hanging from his neck, and then closed his eyes for a moment. He was quick to open them, a look of determination burning in them. "I'm ready."

"Very well. Brace yourself." With that, Astral focused on the Numeron Code, and it's slow rotation began to quicken, speeding up until the card was a blur, and light began to shine brighter and brighter. Yuma had to raise his spare hand to shield himself from the intensity of the light, a small cry leaving him.

The blinding light soon died down, however, and Yuma was wary to open his eyes, gently lowering his hand as he did so. He was no longer met with the familiar surroundings of his family's attic, no longer joined by Astral. No, now he was in a forest, trees lining out in every direction, birds chirping and cicadas buzzing. Had he truly made it? Was this really Vector's past?

"Who goes there?"

Yuma turned at the sound of someone's voice, and was met with the sight of what looked to be two soldiers, both appearing from seemingly nowhere. Yuma gulped as he noticed them holding spears, and held his hands up slightly, intent to show he meant no harm. "H-Hey there..."

Both guards looked over Yuma suspiciously, one speaking up, "What are you doing out here, boy?"

"Look at his clothes..." The second spoke, looking to the first soldier, "The markings on them... they don't look familiar to the land..."

"Uh..." Yuma didn't know what to say. Perhaps he should have asked Astral to have the Numeron Code whip him up some more time-appropriate clothing...

"What kingdom are you from?" Spoke the second soldier, raising his spear, pointing it at Yuma.

"It's just a boy," The first soldier chided the second, using his own spear to gently knock away at the other soldier's spear. "What harm can he do?"

The second soldier glared at the first, nodding towards Yuma. "We shouldn't take lightly to trespassers, considering the king's current condition." He rose his spear again and frowned deeply. "This young man could be a spy, or worse. We need to take him to the prince and queen. They'll decide what to do with him."

"As you wish." The first soldier said with a hint of exasperation. He looked to Yuma then, pulling out some rope from his belt. "Come now, boy. You're coming with us."

"And if you value your life," The second soldier said as he continued to point his spear at Yuma, "You won't pull anything funny."

Momentarily, Yuma considered calling this whole thing off and using the Emperor's Key to return home, when he realized that the prince and queen they were referring to had to have been Vector and his mother. Slowly, he lowered his hands, putting them forward together to allow the first guard to tie them. This might not have been the way he wanted to get to Vector-- well, actually, he hadn't had a plan as to how he'd get to Vector in the first place... Perhaps this was for the best?

The second guard sneered as Yuma complied with the first, and pointed his spear to the side. "This way." Yuma did as he was told, the second guard leading him, while the first staggered behind. 

With an exhale, Yuma steadied his nerves, and wondered what awaited him outside of the forest.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Upon arriving at the castle, Yuma comes to an uneasy realization: He's got no plan, and no one but himself to rely on this time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, y'all! Sorry for the long wait for an update, I started up school again for a second bachelor's ^^; Thank y'all tho for the positive feedback about this story! I really appreciate it!

It wasn't long before Yuma found himself led out of the forest, and once he and the guards were clear of the trees, Yuma saw it: A white brick castle, shining with gold accents, standing prominently within view. It was in a hilltop, surrounded by more trees, but the sight of it was rather captivating. 

Yuma's mind called back to when he'd seen this place in ruins, when hunting down Numbers with the others, it having contained Numbers 65: Judge Buster. A feeling of dread went through Yuma then as he recalled Rio's telling of the ruins' prophecy, of how the prince - Vector - ended up committing suicide after slaughtering all his people.

Did those deaths haunt the Vector in the present day, too?

Regardless, Yuma vowed, he'd stop that, stop it all, from happening.

The walk to the castle was a quiet one, and Yuma wished one of the say something, _anything,_ so that he could get his mind off of Vector's traumatic... past? Future? He wasn't sure what to deem it now that he was here to prevent it. But nevertheless, it didn't stop Yuma from wishing he'd be spoken to. He'd start trying a conversation himself, but the one guard was... kinda a jerk? And he was afraid of saying something off, something suspicious that would give them reason to not even take him to Vector.

Perhaps it was best that the walk was silent.

As they approached the castle, Yuma began to feel further uneasy, seeing more guards with spears along the castle grounds, staring at him suspiciously as the two guards who found him led him into the castle.

Yuma marvelled at the sight of the castle's interior, it being every bit as regal as the outside of the castle. Armor lined the hallways, small tables with expensive looking trinkets and vases of exotic flowers, red carpets accented with gold draped along the white stone floors.

It didn't take long for them to reach a room with large wooden double doors, the guard in front of him knocking twice before the doors opened.

Led inside, Yuma looked straight down the center of the room, and saw him: Vector, with a much softer expression on his face - one that reminded Yuma of his Shingetsu days - sitting on the throne; dressed in what Yuma deemed regal-looking attire, his arm sheathed in golden metal armor, and a ruby circlet on his head.

Vector and Yuma's eyes locked onto each other, and Yuma felt his stomach flip under the other male's curious gaze. Oh crap, what was he going to say? How was he going to explain who he was, what he was doing here, where he came from? Should he lie? Should he--

Vector's gaze suddenly left him, turning to the pair if guards instead. "What is the meaning of this?" Vector asked as he leaned forward slightly, his tone even and calm, kind. 

The first guard to speak, the one who treated Yuma more respectfully out of the two, moved his spear, the butt of it placed firmly on the ground, the spearhead pointing straight up. "Forgive us, my prince, but we found this boy wandering the forest to the west of here, all on his own."

The other guard then spoke, mimicking the same action as the first with his spear. "We brought him here under the assumption that he was up to something nefarious, my prince." He then sneered as he looked at Yuma. "His clothes aren't of any kingdom I've seen. He could be a spy, or worse."

Yuma frowned at the second guard, but before he could say anything in his own defense, Vector stood up. He made his way towards Yuma, looking over his clothes once before reaching for Yuma's hands, untying the rope that bound them.

"M-My prince!" The second guard protested.

"Forgive my guards," Vector said softly, handing to rope off to the first guard. "Its not often we get a visitor from a foreign kingdom." Looking over Yuma's wrists for any sign of the rope having been too tight, Vector kept his grip on Yuma surprisingly delicate for one wearing metal armor. "I am Vector, prince of R'yleh." Gentle purple eyes rose to meet Yuma's red. "Tell me, what is your name, and where are your parents?"

Yuma gulped slightly, exhaling his nerves away before speaking. "My name is Yuma Tsukumo. My parents..." Yuma thought about his mother and father then, a small, sad frown coming to him. "My parents and I got separated."

"Separated?" Vector echoed, looking at Yuma sympathetically. He took a moment to examine Yuma's clothes, the style being one he'd never seen before. He must have been from a neighboring kingdom, as this style of clothing was unlike anything in R'yleh. A thought occured to Vector then. With his father having attacked surrounding kingdoms before his illness, could the king be the reason why Yuma got separated from his parents? A deep feeling of guilt settled in Vector at that thought. That meant _anything_ could have happened to the other's parents.

"Prince Vector?" At the sound of a woman's voice, Vector turned his head, and Yuma followed suit, watching a woman come from a nearby room. "Is something wrong?"

"Mother." Vector acknowledged, Yuma's eyes widening slightly. One of the only real reference points Yuma had had for Vector's mother was her dying moments that Don Thousand had shown them during Vector's duel with Shark. But now that he'd seen her under better circumstances, Yuma recognized her. 

"The guards brought a boy from the forest." Vector said to his mother. "He says he's called Yuma, and he's been separated from his family." He turned to look over Yuma once more, a slight frown on the carrot top's face as he thought for a second. He then looked to his guards, his expression kind - very unlike the modern day Vector. "Thank you for doing their duties. This boy shall be under my protection from this point on."

"But, my prince!" The second guard began to protest, but Vector gently raised his bare hand, in a motion meant to silence the guard. 

"If Yuma was in the forest, there's a chance his parents might not be far behind." Vector began as he spoke to his guards, Yuma's gaze falling to the floor at that. "So if you, or any of the other guards see anyone, bring them here." Behind Vector, his mother nodded at the guards, them finally leaving once she nodded.

Vector's metal gauntleted hand reached for Yuma's cheek, cupping it as he looked over the red-eyed male's face. "You look rather healthy... Were you separated recently?" Before Yuma could answer, the young prince then brought his hand down, looking back to his mother. "Mother, would you kindly bring me a map of the neighboring kingdoms? I want to see if Yuma can pinpoint where he lost his parents."

Yuma paled at that. How was he going to get himself out of that one? He knew nothing of the land around them. Vector's mother spoke then, an ashamed look on her face.

"Forgive me, my son. But the maps are in your father's war room." She flinched slightly at her own words, Vector exhaling slowly as she spoke. "I don't believe any of them are viable to look at."

Vector closed his eyes for a moment. Right. His father's war plans... the same look of shame came over Vector, and he shook his head slightly. "Right then." He looked to Yuma, a somewhat sad smile on his face. "What kingdom do you hail from?"

Kingdom? Yuma mentally scoured his mind for the names of kingdoms that he encountered on the hunt for the Numbers in ruins, but realized that if he named an actual kingdom, and someone here had actually been there, he could be in big trouble. "I... I come from Heartland."

"Heartland?" Vector repeated, a bit of a frown coming to him as he thought. "That kingdom doesn't sound familiar." It was then he'd really wished they had a spare map, one his father hadn't taken for his war-planning. "I do honestly hope my father's madness didn't reach to your kingdom before he became ill. But... I'm relieved in knowing that if I have not heard of this kingdom, then more than likely neither had my father, and the chances of us finding your parents unharmed are rather good."

"What of this boy until then, Prince Vector?" His mother asked, walking forward to stand behind her son, and place a hand on his shoulder.

Vector very faintly leaned into her touch, looking up at her for a moment before looking back at Yuma. "I'd prefer you stay here, in the castle, until we find or hear word of your parents. To send you back out into the forest would be inconsiderate. I want your parents to see that we took care of you, not treated you poorly." 

"But if you'd rather head back out into the wild to search for your parents on your own, I won't stop you." At that, Vector's mother's eyes widened, and she looked down at her son, who simply kept speaking. "But allow us to provide you with whatever you need if you do; whether it be food or clothing, or even a horse. I only ask that you forgive my guard's actions from before, and to speak kindly of my kingdom. I know my father's reputation has tarnished my people's name, but... I'm aiming to change that."

Yuma was silent, taking in Vector's words. Not that he was considering his offer to leave - he couldn't, not when there was a mission to be carried out. But... to hear Vector speak like this, to experience Vector at his most earnest, most genuine self, untainted by Don Thousand? It made Yuma wonder whether or not Shingetsu was truly, completely, an act.

"I'm..." Yuma frowned as he tried to word together a proper response, not wanting to come off as unappreciative or something of the like. He really wished Astral had come with him to give him pointers on how to talk in a way that wouldn't arouse suspicions. "I'm honored at your offers, Vecto-- err, Prince Vector." Yuma closed his eyes for a moment, before looking at Vector and his mother. "I don't mind staying in the castle with you until you can find them."

Vector's mother looked relieved at Yuma's words, not having wanted to send the boy back into the wild, even if they had provided him with whatever he would have needed. A soft smile came to the slender woman, who gently placed a hand on top of Yuma's head comfortingly. "I shall see to it that your stay is a most welcome one, child, and I do hope we can reunite you with your parents soon. I can only imagine how worried they must be about you."

She then pulled away from both boys, bowing her head slightly. "My prince, I'm off to find one of the chambermaids, and to locate a room for young Yuma." Vector nodded at her words, and she turned to leave, disappearing behind a nearby door.

Vector had seen his mother off with a fond smile, then turned back to Yuma, having noticed before how he had glanced to the guards. "I'll personally inform the guards we have here that you're our guest until further notice. You won't have to worry about them."

Yuma nodded his thanks, a hand going to grasp at the Emperor's key around his neck. "Thanks, Vec-- Prince Vector."

Vector smiled, chuckling slightly as Yuma corrected himself. "Its alright, when it's just us, you may call me just 'Vector' if you wish."

Sighing his relief, Yuma allowed himself to relax. "Gee, thanks. That's alot easier." Yuma blinked at his own words, before backtracking and stammering."I-I mean, I've never really interacted with royalty, ya know?" Yuma laughed awkwardly, a hand going to rub at the back if his own head. "Its tough to remember to use like, titles and stuff!"

Vector blinked, before raising his non-armored hand to his mouth, laughing somewhat. "You're rather... interesting, Yuma."

"Sorry." Yuma apologized, lowering his hand. "I just... am nervous, I guess."

"We'll find your parents," Vector comforted, his non-armored hand going to rest on Yuma's shoulder. "We'll reunite you with them soon."

Yuma nodded, but he knew that that wasn't what he was nervous about. How far away in time were they from the day Don Thousand took everything away from Vector? Would he even be able to save him, save his mother? How much time did he have to prepare, to start forming a plan?

"How about," Vector began, taking his hand off of Yuma's shoulder, "I show you around the castle?" Vector nodded towards one of the doors. "If you're going to be staying here, the least I could do is try to make you feel welcome."

Yuma blinked, then nodded, a small smile coming to him. "I'd appreciate that, Vector."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The name of Vector's kingdom in this fic, _R'yleh_ was inspired by [Tumblr user Nantokahime's post.](http://nantokahime.tumblr.com/post/81249499765)


End file.
